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A demonstration is necessary. ", "description_bbcode_parsed": "Part 1 of Rick joining the party Part 2: Coming soon.


Rick is demands answers on whats going on and is not happy with what he hears. A demonstration is necessary. ", "writing": "The ragged old schoolbus cruised down the dead highway through the middle of nowhere, dim headlights barely able to make headway against the overwhelming darkness of the moonless night. Its decrepit engine rumbled along, just barely coaxed back to life by several spells placed on it by the canine behind the wheel. \n\nSaid canine was Kyle Blackpaw (or Kailiel of the Blackened Paw for paticularly formal occasions), freelance supernatural bounty hunter and unwilling avatar of the Angel of Pain. The dirty blond german shepherd scratched the darker brown of his muzzle absentmindedly with his right hand, black left arm that was his namesake keeping the old bus from veering off course into the endless fields of the heartlands. \n\nCurrently he was engaged in conversation with one of his recent companions, a white tailed deer girl whose long blonde hair had retained it pink streaks despite her recent death at his hands. Or at least it did when she put forth the effort to shape a proper form, but currently she existed just as a blob of soul and metaphysical energy. \n\nHer form took on a mischievous yellow glow and Kyle braced himself fo whatever she was cooking up now.\n\n\"So, like, I sold you my soul so you would get me away from my abusive dad and help me kill myself\"\n\n\"Makes me sound a little evil when you put it like that, but I guess it's not an inaccurate assessment\"\n\n\"And like, because I'm so cool and stuff, instead of just eating my soul for the magic juice you bound me as your familiar\"\n\nThis caused the canine to snort a bit. \"I can't argue with your exposition so far Danielle.\"\n\n\"And the we picked up Mr. Grumpy Pants back there because mommy said you had to\" the bound spirit somehow managing to indicate, despite a complete lack of appendages, to the green and red lizard sleeping on the bench seat at the rear of the bus\n\nThis caused the canine to choke and nearly swerve the bus off the road into the ditch running alongside it. After a hurried course correction and a few deep breaths to regain composure during which the spirit orb flashed bright yellow with silent laughter, Kyle said \"Please don't call her that. But yes, the mother of suffering forcibly assigned me 'Mr. Grumpy Pants' as a thrall. Pretty sure she just wants to torment me.\"\n\n\"She's your boss and the Angel of Pain, and the best torment she has is sticking you with a cop who killed you?\"\n\n\"Our relationship is more complex than that.\"\n\n\"But, like, she still has some power over you, since she managed to stick you with him\"\n\n\"Yes. She doesn't use it much though, so it was a suprise.\"\n\n\"And that's the best she could do?\"\n\n\"What are you getting at?\"\n\n\"Nuthin, just sayin that she could probably do a lot worse\"\n\n\"Hmm.\" \n\n\"Anyway I'm getting side tracked. Since he's a thrall and I'm you familiar, does that mean I outrank him\"\n\nThe canine blinked \"What?\"\n\n\"Do I outrank him? Can I boss him around and stuff?\"\n\n\"Why? what do you want him to do?\"\n\n\"I dunno, jus wanna know is all\"\n\nThe canine shook his head. \"That's gonna be a no. Nobody outranks anyone for a start, this isn't the rangers or any shit like that.\" \n\nThat actually wasn't true, as a familiar she acted as an extension of his will, and by his position as a thrall the lizardman was bound to obey the will of his master. But thats not the power dynamic he wanted, even with a bastard excop who had once shot him and then caused him to burn to death.\n\nThe lizard started to toss as his dreams soured in response to his masters ire at the memory. After a moment Kyle chased away the feelings and the lizard settled back down.\n\nOblivious to the little emotional back and forth, the deer's glowing sprite approximated a head shake \"The Rangers. God boss, your cowboy is showing\"\n\n\"Well little miss, i dont know iffin yall know this but I cannot help where I was born and raised\" Kyle responded, putting on a thick hokey drawl\n\nThe lizard grumbled and rolled over on the bench seat as Danielle's laughter filled the bus.\n\n-----\n\nThe bus pulled into the lot of the nameless little diner in the middle of nowhere, one of only a two vehicles there.\n\nWordlessly its odd little crew stumbled out, those with legs relishing in a chance to stretch them. The diner itself was the genuine deal, an old dining railcar taken off the tracks and turned into a building, its chrome exterior showing both its age as well as evidence of dedicated care and maintenance. \n\nWalking in, one could be forgiven for thinking they had stumbled upon a movie set, as it was the most stereotypical diner one could picture, chrome, stainless steel, and red fake leather, a row of bar stools along the counter behind which stood a busty waitress pig with short curly hair, a pencil tucked behind her ear, and an apron who called out \"Have a seat anywhere hon, I'll be with y'all in a sec\" while indicating with her notepad to the row of booths along the opposite wall.\n\nIt was into one of these booths that the trio dropped, or in Danielle's case hovered above. Most people couldn't perceive the metaphysical, so she wasn't too worried about hiding herself from the waitress.\n\n\"So when are you gonna tell me what this's all about?\" Growled the lizard. Nobody would have accused him of being a morning person, but Kyle suspected that he wasn't much of a day, evening, or night person either.\n\n\"In a minute\" Kyle replied \"like I said, it's a lot to lay out and some food will make things go smoother.\"\n\n\"Fine but you owe me some answers.\"\n\nKyle didn't bother to reply to that, and began idly tracing a complex design in the air with his off hand.\n\nWhile the two corporeal individuals studied their menus, Danielle practiced on projecting her appearance instead of remaining a blob\n\n\"Howdy, I'm Betty 'n all be takin care of y'all today. What can I get for ya?\"\n\nLooking up from the menu Kyle gave the waitress a smile. \"The regular combo sounds good to me. Eggs scrambled with cheese. Milk for the drink.\" Pausing for a sec to let the waitress finish scribbling on her pad he added \"What have y'all got in the way of spectrals?\"\n\n\"Not much 'm fraid. Somethin bout this area produces a ton of hitchhiker spirits so we're constantly cleared out. We've got the materials for a few basic rites, or some ecto o's if those agree with her.\" The waitress stated, sweeping her arm at the hovering deer. \"Anythin' else will take a bit o' time to get prepared.\"\n\nDanielle immediately lost her concentration and snapped back to her regular sprite form. \"You can see me?\"\n\nThe waitress cocked her eyebrow at Kyle \"They're both new to this. Ghost cereal should be fine.\" \n\nRick glowed at the canine over his menu.\n\n\"Huh, ya don't say. And here I was thinking y'all were an old crew given how loose you're keeping it. And what about you?\"\n\n\"Black coffee.\" \n\nThe waitress looked back at Kyle\n\n\"Very new. Honestly we're probably gonna be a couple hours so I can lay out what's what.\"\n\nAs he said that Kyle finished off the spell he had been tracing and sealed it off, before starting to lazily trace a second one.\n\nThe waitress took a closer look at what she thought had just been some idle doodling before shooting a concerned look at the canid. \n\n\"Just a precaution.\"\n\n\"Alright. I hope you don't mind if I busy myself around the kitchen then? There's too much stacked up for me to just stay upfront that long\" \n\nIt was transparently an excuse, even if her voice hadn't suddenly been shot through with nerves and lost her southern accent, there was no way this place saw enough business to get that far behind on the dishes.\n\n\"No worries Betty, I completely understand. If that's the case you can also just run my card now so you don't have to interrupt yourself back there\" \n\nThe canine produced a Jet black rectangle about the size of a normal credit card from seemingly nowhere and handed it to the poor girl, who took it as if being handed a live grenade and practically tripped over herself getting back to the section of counter containing the cash register before quickly returning the card and stuttering out that the food would be ready shortly. Then the pig fled back to the kitchen as quickly as good manners would allow.\n\nRick continued to glare like he was trying to melt the canid across from him solely with his barely contained rage.\n\n\"So, answers.\" he spit\n\nDanielle chimed in, her metaphysical form lighting up an inquiring green. \"Like yeah, what was that all about, and why can she see me?\" \n\nThe wizard dog sighed. \"Okay, y'all are both missing a lot of general knowledge, but the short version is that this diner is part of a network run by an entity not unlike our own lady, except they focus on travelers, messengers, ect. These places specifically cater to the supernaturally inclined crowd, so anyone employed here gets a few perks to help things keep moving.\"\n\nDanielle bobbed around in the air \"Okay but like that doesn't explain why she got all scared of you\" \n\nRick just grunted, although the observant might have noticed his jaw clenching tighter and his claws pressing into the table.\n\n\"Well, since we're out in the middle of nowhere they probably just aren't used to casters of any significant ability. Having a boon from afore mentioned deity probably also didn't help. Poor girl, I was hoping to avoid scaring her.\"\n\nJust then the scared girl in question came out with the food, including a weirdly translucent bowl of what looked like cheerios that hovered about an inch above the table when it was set in front of Danielle. \n\n\"Will that be all sir?\" She asked, all traces of her southern accent completely gone. \n\n\"You can just leave the coffee pot, we wouldn't want to keep you from taking care of the rest of your work load.\"\n\nSetting the coffee pot down she just about managed to get out \"Are you certain sir?\"\n\nKyle gave her his best attempt at a kind smile, although it was more than a little awkward. \n\n\"I'm certain, we're all set here.\"\n\nBetty visibly slumped with relief before giving a standard enjoy your meal and once more disappearing into the kitchen.\n\n\"How do I eat this without a mouth?\"\n\n\"Absorb it. It's generally considered good manners to be person shaped and dip a hand in it, but nobody's here is gonna care so you could also just take a bath in it as is.\" Kyle said between mouthfuls of egg as he started in on his own food.\n\nHe had barely finished speaking before she splashed down into the \"bowl\" \n\n\"As for you\" he said indicating at Rick with a fork full of scrambled egg.\" I don't know what happened between you shooting me during that traffic stop and now, or how you came to be in service to our pain loving patron as a thrall. And I suspect neither do you as you seem to not have any memory of the last year. I imagine at some point she found out about our run in at some point and thought it would be, I dunno... funny, I guess, to gift your service to me. Now my own relation with the mistress of suffering is,\" he paused and considered his choice of words \"complicated. I'm not exactly thrilled about my position as an avatar of pain and suffering, and due to extenuating circumstances I have a lot more free will than most in similar positions. But that isn't to say ahe has no hold on me, so refusing a direct 'gift' wasn't really an option\"\n\nAt this point Rick's claws were fully gouging furrows in the table, food and coffee in from of him completely untouched. Through clenched teeth he hissed \"Stop talking like you fucking own me.\" \n\nKyle, ignoring Rick's anger, spoke through another mouthful of egg \"Wasn't my choice, but for better or for worse I basically do.\"\n\nKyle felt just as much as saw Rick's anger boil over, the red and green lizard jumping to his feet and lunging with every intent of clawing the object of his ire to pieces. He didn't know how the wizard, avatar, whatever was still alive but this time he would make damn sure. \n\nKyle's voice was soft and low, but it contained a hard edge of Authority.\n\n\"Sit. Down.\"\n\nThe murderous lizard stopped in his tracks before calmly moving back to his seat at the table. After a few seconds he blinked and stared at the canine.\n\nA very nervously colored and slightly shaking Danielle 'looked' up from where she had just finished absorbing the last of her cereal \"Hey, can I just duck out? This looks like its gonna be unpleasant\"\n\nKyle had barely nodded at her before she was off like a shot, headed for the emotional safety of being anywhere that wasn't here. In this case that just so happened to coincide with the direction of the kitchen and in a blink she had disappeared through the wall, having overshot the door she was aiming for by a good 3 feet.\n\nOn the other side of the wall she found herself in a kitchen that didn't match, too modern and well equipped to possibly belong to the same diner she had been in a minute ago. And far far too large too. There was no way it should have been able to fit. Dozens, maybe hundreds, of chefs in mismatch of outfits bustled to and fro all around, and a similarly mixed set of servers bustled in and out of doors all around the perimeter. At her own door Betty had it cracked an inch and was watching shamelessly, very distinctly not doing dishes. The only sign she gave of noticing that she had company was that she started talking, although it could have almost been mistaken as to herself.\n\n\"I knew it was going to be something like this. Nobody just casts a ready to go healing spell that strong without a reason. And I can't even tell what that other one is. I hope you weren't too attached to that lizard, because he doesn't stand a chance.\"\n\nKyle just sat there staring at Rick. He had been going over this scenario in his mind repeatedly since the former cop had been dumped in his lap, but now that he was here, he found himself struggling with words. \n\nFor his part, Rick was experiencing something akin to sleep paralysis. Despite the boiling rage inside of him, , he was unable to move and just sat there, mentally screaming at himself to move. He wasnt restrained or held, but rather it was like the signals his brain was sending out were just not getting to their destination. So he sat there getting more and more pissed.\n\nAfter what felt like an eternity to everyone but in reality was but a moment, Kyle let out a big sigh and spoke.\n\n\"I didn't want it to be like this. Even if I knew it wasn't going to happen, I hoped you would just listen. I've been doing this shit for a couple centuries, but this stuff still gets to me.\" the canine almost seemed to be rambling to himself more than anyone else, and his eyes had dropped to stare into his mug. \"I rip the souls out of warlocks who betray deals with gods, but here I am shaking beause Im overloaded with adrenaline, paws full of pins and needles,\" he held up his hand infront of himself, and it was indeed shaking slightly, \"Just cause one idiot completely under my control is angry at me. Somehow dealing with the warlocks is easier. I don't get it.\"\n\nThe canine took a few deep breaths, steadying himself, and then looked up at Rick. \n\n\"Listen\" he started, lined with that same Authority before continuing normally. I know you dont like it but your old life is gone. Everyone you ever knew is probably thinks you died or disappeared. Everything you had was most likely sold or directly taken by whatever she had you doing before passing you on. I don't know what your deal was, but whatever happened at some point you got wrapped up in something and lost possession of yourself. I'm not a fan of slavery or anything like it, lord knows I saw enough of the bad it brings growing up. It is what it is though. The only way out is to change or be released from your deal, or have it overpowered from the outside. She didn't actually transfer your contract to me though, just put you under my control. Probably so i didnt just immediately release you. As for brute force, those few that could would hardly have a reason to. Under different circumstances maybe I could have just let you wander around on your own, but that won't work under current circumstances.\"\n\nKyle could feel the lizards anger swell through that connection every time he passed over another point in his monolouge. But it didn't matter. The moment he had started his explanation, he had felt larger influences take note. One an insistent demand for suffering, one a gentle but firm guiding presence pushing him to action. \n\nKyle focused, and with no discernable action or change, he threw the connection between them wide open in both directions. He felt the full force of Rick's rage and desire to rip him to shreds, as well as the other emotions it was supressing. Rick in turn felt his anxiousness, his genuine regret that it had to be like this, but also saw the world with expanded perceptions. He felt Kyle's actual age, extended well beyond the limits of what was normal or even naturally possible. He could see Kyle's will, entwined with the outside influences, moving things along. \n\nAs they watched from the kitchen door, getting just the faintest sense that all this was going on, the two onlookers could only watch. \n\nKyle saw understnding starting to grow within rick, while the confusion and fear he felt threatened to break free of its cage of anger. \n\nIt wasn't enough, nor had Kyle expected it to be. Given who was pulling the strings there was only one way this could end. Painfully.\n\nRick sensed the deadly order well before it came. He fought it as best he could, but he might as well have been trying to swallow the moon straight from the sky. Confusion, fear and outright panic finally broke through the rage he had been using to contain them, but that didn't matter either. All he could do was watch helplessly as his limbs move on commands other than his own despite all is senses telling him that this was his body, his actions.\n\nHe couldn't even take refuge in a sense of detachment, every movement feeling like his choice despite his brain knowing it wasn't. It felt like it was only him who scooped up the warm obsidian dagger, glowing from inside like its heart was still molten magma, that was now on the table. When he stood up to move around the table to stand behind the canine, who had turned his back to the room and was blankly staring out the window. Even though all his senses told him this was his doing, he knew this wasnt his choice. Even though he had wanted the same result moments before, this was different. A murder in a fit of rage was something he had excused to himself before, but this was cold, mechanical, precise, and without emotion, a machine carrying out its master's order. If he couldn't stop this then everything that implied terrified.\n\nRick stood behind Kyle, knife pressed to his throat, and for a second the three observers had hope that that was the end. But then Kyle's voice rang out, crystal in tone and strangely audible for how quiet it was, speaking a long forgotten dedication in a dead language that all present nevertheless understood. It dedicated the pain and suffering to follow to the one who fed on such things. The beginning and end of all suffering.\n\n-----\n\nFor a moment that seemed to stretch into eternity, nothing happened.\n\nThen, Rick felt another will brush up against him, pushing him to begin. He could have resisted he felt, had he been in control of himself. But as it was he was held pliable, forced to be guided by this alien presence wrapped around the will of the caster holding him. And when he finally began to move at its bidding, everything just clicked, slotted neatly into place. As his muscles tensed and drew the first bead of blood, for how wrong it felt and how powerless he was, he knew with certainty this was how it was supposed to be. It should have made him angry. Any other time it probably would have made him angry. In that moment though, it simply made him feel even more helpless and scared, a ting cog finally getting a glimpse of the enormous machine it worked in before being returned to its place.\n\nThe watcher of course did not have the benefit of the lizards sudden epiphany. So as the blade of volcanic glass was slowly drawn across the canines throat, several voices rang out. Both Betty and Danielle cried out before pleading with him to stop\n\nAnother momentary pause, blood welling up in the shallow cut staining the fur of Kyles throat red. This time the cut was deep and brutal, making it nearly halfway through the canine's neck with its draw, the insanely sharp blade splitting flesh and muscle with ease. \n\nBlood filled gurgling joined the noise as the canine's composure gave in. Pained breathing fighting to reach vocal cords that were no longer available, instead bubbling out and splattering more blood onto the seat and window. \n\nRick had no such issue however, and his pained cries filled the diner as he felt evey cut, every severed nerve ending he was forced to inflict on the canine in front of him. He could feel the hot wash of blood down his own front, and his own breathing became labored as he aspirated on phantom blood.\n\nAnd yet through all this he was driven onwards, neither the force of command nor the other alien force guiding the whole affair along allowed him any reprieve, and it was not long at all before he struck bone. \n\nAt the mpact to his spine, Kyle gave a violent twitch, one that the lizard matched. Neither could escape even then though, as if they wre held in place, preventing either from falling or moving away despite the loss of control.\n\nRecovering, the lizard shifted his grip on the deadly dagger and began to saw, both parties twitching and flailing violently the whole time, yet never seperating blade from target. It was an indescribable agony far beyond anything Rick had ever experienced before. For what felt like an eternity he sawed and spasmed and suffered. \n\nThen finally, the canids head came away in his hand, and just like that the spell was broken. Danielle immediately shot forward, screaming and yelling incomprehensibly between sobs and changing all sorts of colors. Rick collapsed like a puppet whose strings were cut, instantly dead as whatever forces were holding him left. Kyle's body slumped and slowly started to shift backwards, toppling on top of the lizard after a few moments. Betty lay just inside the swinging door where she had fainted at some point during the proceedings.\n\nAnd then all was quiet, save for Danille's sobs. She's seen Kyle die before, hell she had even killed him herself once. But something about this seemed different. Sinister. She wasnt sure he would come back this time.\n\n-----\n\nThe kitchen was a bit more frantic than usual, with the diner's door the center of attention. Everybody not involved craning their necks to see what was going on. A boar in a too tall chef's hat turned around from the scene and slammed a fist on the nearby table, startling several individuals \"ALL RIGHT PEOPLE SHOWS OVER, GET BACK TO WORK!\"\n\nHe then grabbed one of the french waiter looking types milling around the door and ordered him to grab a first aid kit before fishing a pristine white smartphone with gold filigree out of his pocket and starting an invocation over it.\n\n-----\n\nHe couldn't have said how long he was out for, but any amount of time was probably too long given what the situation was going to be.\n\nKyle started by taking a mental inventory. He had feeling and most motor control, but he was already getting light headed, meaning his wind pipe hadn't sealed shut and he didnt have long before he passed out. His body and head must have landed close together, otherwise he'd be growing a new one and have a different set of issues.\n\nHe was also in a lot of pain still. That was good though. Pain he could use. One did not serve pain, willing or unwilling, for hundreds of years without learning to manipulate one's own. \n\nSo Kyle, grabbed that pain he was feeling and channeled it into raw willpower and energy, temporarily fighting back the exhaustion his still recovering body was suffering from. Barely able to think straight, just before he could pass out the last thing he managed to do was reach out mentally and grab the healing spell he had prepare earlier, tugging at the corner and inelegantly dumping its various spells, enchantments, and other components over himself like he had stood under a pinata that had been broken open.\n\nHis eyes shot open as every inch of his sliced neck started screaming at him in white hot agony anew. Healing did not happen this fast naturally even with his enhancements, and forcing the matter came at a price. He could have added some painkiller type effects, but he needed to be sharp for dealing with the aftermath he was sure was waiting for him.\n\nShelving that pain for later, he sat up and passed through Danielle who had been resting on his chest in a shade of blue so deep as to almost be black. As he did she perked up, cycling through a set of much more confused but generally happier colors. Before she could say anything, Kyle leaned down and kissed the top of her form. \"I'll explain later. Just keep an eye on him please. And see if you can get your form back on.\" That last bit was really just to take her mind off things for a moment, he really didn't care what sort of magical social faux pas it was to be formless. \n\nLooking around and assessing the scene, Kyle winced. It was not pretty. The window and bench were absolutely drenched with blood, as were his and Rick's clothes, the table, and the surrounding floor. He sincerely hoped nobody had come to the diner while all that had happened, or in the time while he was out, else he might be in trouble for scaring them off. As it was, he triggered the other magic he had readied, an industrial strength cleaning spell of his own design, making sure to catch his fur and sleeveless red leather duster in the first wave of its effect. It burned like he had just scrubbed himself with a strong acid, but it left him spotless.\n\nHe filed away the burning sensation with the rest of the pain he was supressing. It was absolutely gonna suck later when he had to face those, especially since it only got worse the longer you put it off.\n\nSpotting the boar in the really tall chef's hat, he quickly made his way over, stopping just a second to check the unfortunate waitress's state. She was fine, just still passed out. As soon as he was within arms length the boar just thust the phone at him. The message was clear in any language 'It's for you'\n\n\"Hey ya Hermes, it Ky... Kaliel\" the canine stumbling over the formal name that he never used.\n\n\"Oh hey come on, not always.\"\n\n\"You've got to let that go. I was basically an infant then. I know its not long to you but that was multiple lifetimes ago on the mortal scale.\"\n\n\"No, I'm not backing out of anything, you just don't need to bring it up E V E R Y time.\"\n\n\"I just had to settle something with the new guy.\"\n\n\"Yeah well, between the boss making a demand and a bum turn of fate, things may have gone a bit farther than intended.\"\n\n\"No I didn't break neutrality. I know you know I know better than that. He's technically mine\"\n\n\"Technically as in you know how I feel about that shit and she's still got the paperwork\"\n\n\"They won't need to, I clean up after myself.\"\n\n\"Oh she's fine, just sleeping off the shock. I am sorry she had to get tangled up in it, I thought she was busy in the kitchen.\"\n\n\"Oh no, she was absolutely lovely, kept her composure pretty darn well even after she noticed I was up to some sketchy shit.\"\n\n\"I can do that if that's what you want. A normal wake is easy.\"\n\n\"There shouldn't be\"\n\n\"I know. If it comes to that you know I always pay my due.\"\n\n\"Or what, you're gonna hire me to come get me? Joking, joking.\"\n\n\"Aight, well I'm gonna hand this back over. Take care.\"\n\n\"Alright you too.\"\n\nAnd with that kyle handed the phone back to the boar who had presented it to him, who was staring boggle eyed at the whole exchange before taking a moment to collect himself and starting to talk to it in a decidedly more formal and respectful manner. \n\nGoing back over to the unconscious pig, Kyle crouched down next to where the the very formal looking fox waiter had put her in the recovery pose and was monitoring her with the first aid kit at the ready. Quickly tracing a simple sigil, it was just a matter of seconds before she regained consciousness and was helped to sit up. \n\nShe may have held it together before but Kyle could see in her eyes that she was nearly in a full blown panic now.\n\nHe spoke softly and pressed a small black iron hexagonal token into her hand \"Sorry you got involved with that, it was not my intention. If there is something I can do for you let me know.\" Before moving away to give her space.\n\nA favor token, even a small one, was way overkill for a simple apology. He did really feel bad about it though. Besides which, she was unlikely to cause him too much trouble, which was the main reason he normally avoided giving his out. \n\nFinally Kyle flagged down one of the other loitering staff and with their help got Rick's body out to the bus. He noted that his cleaning spell, was too effective, restoring anywhere blood had touched to factory new condition and standing out like a sore thumb. He made a mental note to add a subroutine to match the surroundings next time he worked on it.\n\n-----\n\nOn the bus Danielle found she really only had one immediate question for Kyle. \"Is he dead?\"\n\n\"Physically no, but he thinks he is. Whether or not he can loosen his grip on reality enough to recognise the truth of the matter is ultimately up to him.\"\n\nKyle laid down on the bench opposite Rick's body and activated the bus's sound proofing enchantment. \"Now if you'll excuse me for a second, I have a lot of suffering I need to catch up on.\"\n\n", "writing_bbcode_parsed": "The ragged old schoolbus cruised down the dead highway through the middle of nowhere, dim headlights barely able to make headway against the overwhelming darkness of the moonless night. Its decrepit engine rumbled along, just barely coaxed back to life by several spells placed on it by the canine behind the wheel.  

Said canine was Kyle Blackpaw (or Kailiel of the Blackened Paw for paticularly formal occasions), freelance supernatural bounty hunter and unwilling avatar of the Angel of Pain. The dirty blond german shepherd scratched the darker brown of his muzzle absentmindedly with his right hand, black left arm that was his namesake keeping the old bus from veering off course into the endless fields of the heartlands.  

Currently he was engaged in conversation with one of his recent companions, a white tailed deer girl whose long blonde hair had retained it pink streaks despite her recent death at his hands. Or at least it did when she put forth the effort to shape a proper form, but currently she existed just as a blob of soul and metaphysical energy.

Her form took on a mischievous yellow glow and Kyle braced himself fo whatever she was cooking up now.

"So, like, I sold you my soul so you would get me away from my abusive dad and help me kill myself"

"Makes me sound a little evil when you put it like that, but I guess it's not an inaccurate assessment"

"And like, because I'm so cool and stuff, instead of just eating my soul for the magic juice you bound me as your familiar"

This caused the canine to snort a bit. "I can't argue with your exposition so far Danielle."

"And the we picked up Mr. Grumpy Pants back there because mommy said you had to" the bound spirit somehow managing to indicate, despite a complete lack of appendages, to the green and red lizard sleeping on the bench seat at the rear of the bus

This caused the canine to choke and nearly swerve the bus off the road into the ditch running alongside it. After a hurried course correction and a few deep breaths to regain composure during which the spirit orb flashed bright yellow with silent laughter, Kyle said "Please don't call her that. But yes, the mother of suffering forcibly assigned me 'Mr. Grumpy Pants' as a thrall. Pretty sure she just wants to torment me."

"She's your boss and the Angel of Pain, and the best torment she has is sticking you with a cop who killed you?"

"Our relationship is more complex than that."

"But, like, she still has some power over you, since she managed to stick you with him"

"Yes.  She doesn't use it much though, so it was a suprise."

"And that's the best she could do?"

"What are you getting at?"

"Nuthin, just sayin that she could probably do a lot worse"

"Hmm."  

"Anyway I'm getting side tracked. Since he's a thrall and I'm you familiar, does that mean I outrank him"

The canine blinked "What?"

"Do I outrank him? Can I boss him around and stuff?"

"Why? what do you want him to do?"

"I dunno, jus wanna know is all"

The canine shook his head. "That's gonna be a no. Nobody outranks anyone for a start, this isn't the rangers or any shit like that."

That actually wasn't true, as a familiar she acted as an extension of his will, and by his position as a thrall the lizardman was bound to obey the will of his master. But thats not the power dynamic he wanted, even with a bastard excop who had once shot him and then caused him to burn to death.

The lizard started to toss as his dreams soured in response to his masters ire at the memory. After a moment Kyle chased away the feelings and the lizard settled back down.

Oblivious to the little emotional back and forth, the deer's glowing sprite approximated a head shake "The Rangers. God boss, your cowboy is showing"

"Well little miss, i dont know iffin yall know this but I cannot help where I was born and raised" Kyle responded, putting on a thick hokey drawl

The lizard grumbled and rolled over on the bench seat as Danielle's laughter filled the bus.

-----

The bus pulled into the lot of the nameless little diner in the middle of nowhere, one of only a two vehicles there.

Wordlessly its odd little crew stumbled out, those with legs relishing in a chance to stretch them.  The diner itself was the genuine deal, an old dining railcar taken off the tracks and turned into a building, its chrome exterior showing both its age as well as evidence of dedicated care and maintenance.

Walking in, one could be forgiven for thinking they had stumbled upon a movie set, as it was the most stereotypical diner one could picture, chrome, stainless steel, and red fake leather, a row of bar stools along the counter behind which stood a busty waitress pig with short curly hair, a pencil tucked behind her ear, and an apron who called out "Have a seat anywhere hon, I'll be with y'all in a sec"  while indicating with her notepad to the row of booths along the opposite wall.

It was into one of these booths that the trio dropped, or in Danielle's case hovered above.  Most people couldn't perceive the metaphysical, so she wasn't too worried about hiding herself from the waitress.

"So when are you gonna tell me what this's all about?" Growled the lizard. Nobody would have accused him of being a morning person, but Kyle suspected that he wasn't much of a day, evening, or night person either.

"In a minute" Kyle replied "like I said, it's a lot to lay out and some food will make things go smoother."

"Fine but you owe me some answers."

Kyle didn't bother to reply to that, and began idly tracing a complex design in the air with his off hand.

While the two corporeal individuals studied their menus, Danielle practiced on projecting her appearance instead of remaining a blob

"Howdy, I'm Betty 'n all be takin care of y'all today.  What can I get for ya?"

Looking up from the menu Kyle gave the waitress a smile.  "The regular combo sounds good to me. Eggs scrambled with cheese. Milk for the drink."  Pausing for a sec to let the waitress finish scribbling on her pad he added "What have y'all got in the way of spectrals?"

"Not much 'm fraid.  Somethin bout this area produces a ton of hitchhiker spirits so we're constantly cleared out.  We've got the materials for a few basic rites, or some ecto o's if those agree with her."  The waitress stated, sweeping her arm at the hovering deer. "Anythin' else will take a bit o' time to get prepared."

Danielle immediately lost her concentration and snapped back to her regular sprite form. "You can see me?"

The waitress cocked her eyebrow at Kyle "They're both new to this. Ghost cereal should be fine."

Rick glowed at the canine over his menu.

"Huh, ya don't say.  And here I was thinking y'all were an old crew given how loose you're keeping it. And what about you?"

"Black coffee."

The waitress looked back at Kyle

"Very new.  Honestly we're probably gonna be a couple hours so I can lay out what's what."

As he said that Kyle finished off the spell he had been tracing and sealed it off, before starting to lazily trace a second one.

The waitress took a closer look at what she thought had just been some idle doodling before shooting a concerned look at the canid.  

"Just a precaution."

"Alright.  I hope you don't mind if I busy myself around the kitchen then? There's too much stacked up for me to just stay upfront that long"  

It was transparently an excuse, even if her voice hadn't suddenly been shot through with nerves and lost her southern accent, there was no way this place saw enough business to get that far behind on the dishes.

"No worries Betty, I completely understand.  If that's the case you can also just run my card now so you don't have to interrupt yourself back there"  

The canine produced a Jet black rectangle  about the size of a normal credit card from seemingly nowhere and handed it to the poor girl, who took it as if being handed a live grenade and practically tripped over herself getting back to the section of counter containing the cash register before quickly returning the card and stuttering out that the food would be ready shortly.  Then the pig fled back to the kitchen as quickly as good manners would allow.

Rick continued to glare like he was trying to melt the canid across from him solely with his barely contained rage.

"So, answers." he spit

Danielle chimed in, her metaphysical form lighting up an inquiring green. "Like yeah, what was that all about, and why can she see me?"

The wizard dog sighed. "Okay, y'all are both missing a lot of general knowledge, but the short version is that  this diner is part of a network run by an entity not unlike our own lady, except they focus on travelers, messengers, ect. These places specifically cater to the supernaturally inclined crowd, so anyone employed here gets a few perks to help things keep moving."

Danielle bobbed around in the air "Okay but like that doesn't explain why she got all scared of you"  

Rick just grunted, although the observant might have noticed his jaw clenching tighter and his claws pressing into the table.

"Well, since we're out in the middle of nowhere they probably just aren't used to casters of any significant ability. Having a boon from afore mentioned deity probably also didn't help.  Poor girl, I was hoping to avoid scaring her."

Just then the scared girl in question came out with the food, including a weirdly translucent bowl of what looked like cheerios that hovered about an inch above the table when it was set in front of Danielle.  

"Will that be all sir?" She asked, all traces of her southern accent completely gone.

"You can just leave the coffee pot, we wouldn't want to keep you from taking care of the rest of your work load."

Setting the coffee pot down she just about managed to get out "Are you certain sir?"

Kyle gave her his best attempt at a kind smile, although it was more than a little awkward.  

"I'm certain, we're all set here."

Betty visibly slumped with relief before giving a standard enjoy your meal and once more disappearing into the kitchen.

"How do I eat this without a mouth?"

"Absorb it. It's generally considered good manners to be person shaped and dip a hand in it, but nobody's here is gonna care so you could also just take a bath in it as is."  Kyle said between mouthfuls of egg as he started in on his own food.

He had barely finished speaking before she splashed down into the "bowl"

"As for you" he said indicating at Rick with a fork full of scrambled egg." I don't know what happened between you shooting me during that traffic stop and now, or how you came to be in service to our pain loving patron as a thrall.  And I suspect neither do you as you seem to not have any memory of the last year. I imagine at some point she found out about our run in at some point and thought it would be, I dunno...  funny, I guess, to gift your service to me.  Now my own relation with the mistress of suffering is," he paused and considered his choice of words "complicated. I'm not exactly thrilled about my position as an avatar of pain and suffering, and due to extenuating circumstances I have a lot more free will than most in similar positions. But that isn't to say ahe has no hold on me, so refusing a direct 'gift' wasn't really an option"

At this point Rick's claws were fully gouging furrows in the table, food and coffee in from of him completely untouched.  Through clenched teeth he hissed "Stop talking like you fucking own me."  

Kyle, ignoring Rick's anger, spoke through another mouthful of egg "Wasn't my choice, but for better or for worse I basically do."

Kyle felt just as much as saw Rick's anger boil over, the red and green lizard jumping to his feet and lunging with every intent of clawing the object of his ire to pieces.  He didn't know how the wizard, avatar, whatever was still alive but this time he would make damn sure.

Kyle's voice was soft and low, but it contained a hard edge of Authority.

"Sit. Down."

The murderous lizard stopped in his tracks before calmly moving back to his seat at the table. After a few seconds he blinked and stared at the canine.

A very nervously colored and slightly shaking Danielle 'looked' up from where she had just finished absorbing the last of her cereal "Hey, can I just duck out? This looks like its gonna be unpleasant"

Kyle had barely nodded at her before she was off like a shot, headed for the emotional safety of being anywhere that wasn't here.  In this case that just so happened to coincide with the direction of the kitchen and in a blink she had disappeared through the wall, having overshot the door she was aiming for by a good 3 feet.

On the other side of the wall she found herself in a kitchen that didn't match, too modern and well equipped to possibly belong to the same diner she had been in a minute ago. And far far too large too. There was no way it should have been able to fit.  Dozens, maybe hundreds, of chefs in mismatch of outfits bustled to and fro all around, and a similarly mixed set of servers bustled in and out of doors all around the perimeter.  At her own door Betty had it cracked an inch and was watching shamelessly, very distinctly not doing dishes.  The only sign she gave of noticing that she had company was that she started talking, although it could have almost been mistaken as to herself.

"I knew it was going to be something like this. Nobody just casts a ready to go healing spell that strong without a reason. And I can't even tell what that other one is. I hope you weren't too attached to that lizard, because he doesn't stand a chance."

Kyle just sat there staring at Rick. He had been going over this scenario in his mind repeatedly since the former cop had been dumped in his lap, but now that he was here, he found himself struggling with words.  

For his part, Rick was experiencing something akin to sleep paralysis. Despite the boiling rage inside of him, , he was unable to move and just sat there, mentally screaming at himself to move.  He wasnt restrained or held, but rather it was like the signals his brain was sending out were just not getting to their destination. So he sat there getting more and more pissed.

After what felt like an eternity to everyone but in reality was but a moment, Kyle let out a big sigh and spoke.

"I didn't want it to be like this.  Even if I knew it wasn't going to happen, I hoped you would just listen. I've been doing this shit for a couple centuries, but this stuff still gets to me."  the canine almost seemed to be rambling to himself more than anyone else, and his eyes had dropped to stare into his mug. "I rip the souls out of warlocks who betray deals with gods, but here I am shaking beause Im overloaded with adrenaline, paws full of pins and needles," he held up his hand infront of himself, and it was indeed shaking slightly, "Just cause one idiot completely under my control is angry at me. Somehow dealing with the warlocks is easier. I don't get it."

The canine took a few deep breaths, steadying himself, and then looked up at Rick.

"Listen" he started, lined with that same Authority before continuing normally. I know you dont like it but your old life is gone.  Everyone you ever knew is probably thinks you died or disappeared. Everything you had was most likely sold or directly taken by whatever she had you doing before passing you on.  I don't know what your deal was, but whatever happened at some point you got wrapped up in something and lost possession of yourself.  I'm not a fan of slavery or anything like it, lord knows I saw enough of the bad it brings growing up. It is what it is though. The only way out is to change or be released from your deal, or have it overpowered from the outside.  She didn't actually transfer your contract to me though, just put you under my control. Probably so i didnt just immediately release you. As for brute force, those few that could would hardly have a reason to.  Under different circumstances maybe I could have just let you wander around on your own, but that won't work under current circumstances."

Kyle could feel the lizards anger swell through that connection every time he passed over another point in his monolouge.  But it didn't matter.  The moment he had started his explanation, he had felt larger influences take note. One an insistent demand for suffering, one a  gentle but firm guiding presence pushing him to action.

Kyle focused, and with no discernable action or change, he threw the connection between them wide open in both directions. He felt the full force of Rick's rage and desire to rip him to shreds, as well as the other emotions it was supressing. Rick in turn felt his anxiousness, his genuine regret that it had to be like this, but also saw the world with expanded perceptions. He felt Kyle's actual age, extended well beyond the limits of what was normal or even naturally possible. He could see Kyle's will, entwined with the outside influences, moving things along.

As they watched from the kitchen door, getting just the faintest sense that all this was going on, the two onlookers could only watch.

Kyle saw understnding starting to grow within rick, while the confusion and fear he felt threatened to break free of its cage of anger.

It wasn't enough, nor had Kyle expected it to be. Given who was pulling the strings there was only one way this could end.  Painfully.

Rick sensed the deadly order well before it came. He fought it as best he could, but he might as well have been trying to swallow the moon straight from the sky. Confusion, fear and outright panic finally broke through the rage he had been using to contain them, but that didn't matter either.  All he could do was watch helplessly as his limbs move on commands other than his own despite all is senses telling him that this was his body, his actions.

He couldn't even take refuge in a sense of detachment, every movement feeling like his choice despite his brain knowing it wasn't. It felt like it was only him who scooped up the warm obsidian dagger, glowing from inside like its heart was still molten magma, that was now on the table. When he stood up to move around the table to stand behind the canine, who had turned his back to the room and was blankly staring out the window. Even though all his senses told him this was his doing, he knew this wasnt his choice.  Even though he had wanted the same result moments before, this was different.  A murder in a fit of rage was something he had excused to himself before, but this was cold, mechanical, precise, and without emotion, a machine carrying out its master's order. If he couldn't stop this then everything that implied terrified.

Rick stood behind Kyle, knife pressed to his throat, and for a second the three observers had hope that that was the end. But then Kyle's voice rang out, crystal in tone and strangely audible for how quiet it was, speaking a long forgotten dedication in a dead language that all present nevertheless understood. It dedicated the pain and suffering to follow to the one who fed on such things. The beginning and end of all suffering.

-----

For a moment that seemed to stretch into eternity, nothing happened.

Then, Rick felt another will brush up against him, pushing him to begin. He could have resisted he felt, had he been in control of himself. But as it was he was held pliable, forced to be guided by this alien presence wrapped around the will of the caster holding him.  And when he finally began to move at its bidding, everything just clicked, slotted neatly into place.  As his muscles tensed and drew the first bead of blood, for how wrong it felt and how powerless he was, he knew with certainty this was how it was supposed to be. It should have made him angry. Any other time it probably would have made him angry. In that moment though, it simply made him feel even more helpless and scared, a ting cog finally getting a glimpse of the enormous machine it worked in before being returned to its place.

The watcher of course did not have the benefit of the lizards sudden epiphany. So as the blade of volcanic glass was slowly drawn across the canines throat, several voices rang out. Both Betty and Danielle cried out before pleading with him to stop

Another momentary pause, blood welling up in the shallow cut staining the fur of Kyles throat red.  This time the cut was deep and brutal, making it nearly halfway through the canine's neck with its draw, the insanely sharp blade splitting flesh and muscle with ease.

Blood filled gurgling joined the noise as the canine's composure gave in. Pained breathing fighting to reach vocal cords that were no longer available, instead bubbling out and splattering more blood onto the seat and window.  

Rick had no such issue however, and his pained cries filled the diner as he felt evey cut, every severed nerve ending he was forced to inflict on the canine in front of him.  He could feel the hot wash of blood down his own front, and his own breathing became labored as he aspirated on phantom blood.

And yet through all this he was driven onwards, neither the force of command nor the other alien force guiding the whole affair along allowed him any reprieve, and it was not long at all before he struck bone.

At the mpact to his spine, Kyle gave a violent twitch, one that the lizard matched. Neither could escape even then though, as if they wre held in place, preventing either from falling or moving away despite the loss of control.

Recovering, the lizard shifted his grip on the deadly dagger and began to saw, both parties twitching and flailing violently the whole time, yet never seperating blade from target. It was an indescribable agony far beyond anything Rick had ever experienced before. For what felt like an eternity he sawed and spasmed and suffered.  

Then finally, the canids head came away in his hand, and just like that the spell was broken. Danielle immediately shot forward, screaming and yelling incomprehensibly between sobs and changing all sorts of colors. Rick collapsed like a puppet whose strings were cut, instantly dead as whatever forces were holding him left. Kyle's body slumped and slowly started to shift backwards, toppling on top of the lizard after a few moments. Betty lay just inside the swinging door where she had fainted at some point during the proceedings.

And then all was quiet, save for Danille's sobs. She's seen Kyle die before, hell she had even killed him herself once. But something about this seemed different. Sinister. She wasnt sure he would come back this time.

-----

The kitchen was a bit more frantic than usual, with the diner's door the center of attention. Everybody not involved craning their necks to see what was going on. A boar in a too tall chef's hat turned around from the scene and slammed a fist on the nearby table, startling several individuals "ALL RIGHT PEOPLE SHOWS OVER, GET BACK TO WORK!"

He then grabbed one of the french waiter looking types milling around the door and ordered him to grab a first aid kit before fishing a pristine white smartphone with gold filigree out of his pocket and starting an invocation over it.

-----

He couldn't have said how long he was out for, but any amount of time was probably too long given what the situation was going to be.

Kyle started by taking a mental inventory. He had feeling and most motor control, but he was already getting light headed, meaning his wind pipe hadn't sealed shut and he didnt have long before he passed out.  His body and head must have landed close together, otherwise he'd be growing a new one and have a different set of issues.

He was also in a lot of pain still.  That was good though. Pain he could use. One did not serve pain, willing or unwilling, for hundreds of years without learning to manipulate one's own.

So Kyle, grabbed that pain he was feeling and channeled it into raw willpower and energy, temporarily fighting back the exhaustion his still recovering body was suffering from. Barely able to think straight, just before he could pass out the last thing he managed to do was reach out mentally and grab the healing spell he had prepare earlier, tugging at the corner and inelegantly dumping its various spells, enchantments, and other components over himself like he had stood under a pinata that had been broken open.

His eyes shot open as every inch of his sliced neck started screaming at him in white hot agony anew.  Healing did not happen this fast naturally even with his enhancements, and forcing the matter came at a price.  He could have added some painkiller type effects, but he needed to be sharp for dealing with the aftermath he was sure was waiting for him.

Shelving that pain for later, he sat up and passed through Danielle who had been resting on his chest in a shade of blue so deep as to almost be black.  As he did she perked up, cycling through a set of much more confused but generally happier colors. Before she could say anything, Kyle leaned down and kissed the top of her form.  "I'll explain later. Just keep an eye on him please. And see if you can get your form back on." That last bit was really just to take her mind off things for a moment, he really didn't care what sort of magical social faux pas it was to be formless.

Looking around and assessing the scene, Kyle winced. It was not pretty.  The window and bench were absolutely drenched with blood, as were his and Rick's clothes, the table, and the surrounding floor.  He sincerely hoped nobody had come to the diner while all that had happened, or in the time while he was out, else he might be in trouble for scaring them off.  As it was, he triggered the other magic he had readied, an industrial strength cleaning spell of his own design, making sure to catch his fur and sleeveless red leather duster in the first wave of its effect.  It burned like he had just scrubbed himself with a strong acid, but it left him spotless.

He filed away the burning sensation with the rest of the pain he was supressing.  It was absolutely gonna suck later when he had to face those, especially since it only got worse the longer you put it off.

Spotting the boar in the really tall chef's hat, he quickly made his way over, stopping just a second to check the unfortunate waitress's state. She was fine, just still passed out.  As soon as he was within arms length the boar just thust the phone at him. The message was clear in any language 'It's for you'

"Hey ya Hermes, it Ky... Kaliel"  the canine stumbling over the formal name that he never used.

"Oh hey come on, not always."

"You've got to let that go.  I was basically an infant then. I know its not long to you but that was multiple lifetimes ago on the mortal scale."

"No, I'm not backing out of anything, you just don't need to bring it up E V E R Y time."

"I just had to settle something with the new guy."

"Yeah well, between the boss making a demand and a bum turn of fate, things may have gone a bit farther than intended."

"No I didn't break neutrality.  I know you know I know better than that. He's technically mine"

"Technically as in you know how I feel about that shit and she's still got the paperwork"

"They won't need to, I clean up after myself."

"Oh she's fine, just sleeping off the shock.  I am sorry she had to get tangled up in it, I thought she was busy in the kitchen."

"Oh no, she was absolutely lovely, kept her composure pretty darn well even after she noticed I was up to some sketchy shit."

"I can do that if that's what you want. A normal wake is easy."

"There shouldn't be"

"I know. If it comes to that you know I always pay my due."

"Or what, you're gonna hire me to come get me?  Joking, joking."

"Aight, well I'm gonna hand this back over. Take care."

"Alright you too."

And with that kyle handed the phone back to the boar who had presented it to him, who was staring boggle eyed at the whole exchange before taking a moment to collect himself and starting to talk to it in a decidedly more formal and respectful manner.  

Going back over to the unconscious pig, Kyle crouched down next to where the the very formal looking fox waiter had put her in the recovery pose and was monitoring her with the first aid kit at the ready.  Quickly tracing a simple sigil, it was just a matter of seconds before she regained consciousness and was helped to sit up.  

She may have held it together before but Kyle could see in her eyes that she was nearly in a full blown panic now.

He spoke softly and pressed a small black iron hexagonal token into her hand "Sorry you got involved with that, it was not my intention. If there is something I can do for you let me know." Before moving away to give her space.

A favor token, even a small one, was way overkill for a simple apology. He did really feel bad about it though. Besides which, she was unlikely to cause him too much trouble, which was the main reason he normally avoided giving his out.

Finally Kyle flagged down one of the other loitering staff and with their help got Rick's body out to the bus.  He noted that his cleaning spell, was too effective, restoring anywhere blood had touched to factory new condition and standing out like a sore thumb. He made a mental note to add a subroutine to match the surroundings next time he worked on it.

-----

On the bus Danielle found she really only had one immediate question for Kyle.  "Is he dead?"

"Physically no, but he thinks he is. Whether or not he can loosen his grip on reality enough to recognise the truth of the matter is ultimately up to him."

Kyle laid down on the bench opposite Rick's body and activated the bus's sound proofing enchantment. "Now if you'll excuse me for a second, I have a lot of suffering I need to catch up on."

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